Maui Coronavirus Updates

County and state officials are projecting a bump in COVID-19 cases reported Maui in the coming days as the state Department of Health is expected to release data accumulated over the past week.  

The County of Maui Division of Motor Vehicle and Licensing will provide modified road tests beginning next week for motorists to demonstrate basic vehicle control skills and obtain their driver’s licenses. Appointments will be taken beginning today, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020.

The website offers an opportunity for Maui County businesses to share their kamaʻāina deals at no cost; for Hawaiʻi residents to take advantage of great discounts/specials on staycations, restaurants, activities, services and products; and now for businesses to connect with one another.

The Kamehameha Maui campus transitions to a full distance learning program today, through at least the end of the month.   The decision was shared with the school community last night after three days of hybrid or blended learning had already begun.

The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations announced updated unemployment insurance claims information, including paying $2,620,848,963 and 2,464,674 weeks claimed since the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic on March 1, 2020.

The state has reported another triple digit increase in new COVID-19 cases with 202 new cases today including 197 on Oʻahu, two each on Kaua‘i and Hawai‘i Island, and one on Maui.  There were also four deaths on the island of Oʻahu.

The state Department of Education is defending itself from criticism after the Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association pressed the department over an alleged delay in reporting of COVID-19 cases and lack of transparency–claims the department rejects.

NY Governor Andrew Cuomo made the announcement on Tuesday saying “we cannot go back to the hell we experienced a few months ago, which is why we are adding Hawaiʻi, South Dakota and Virgin Islands to the travel advisory.”

Effective Aug. 11 through Aug. 31, “No one shall enter Judiciary facilities in the Second, Third, and Fifth Circuits if they have traveled in the past 14 days, or have traveled inter-island to the Second, Third, or Fifth Circuits on or after Aug. 11, 2020, and 14 days has not passed since such travel.”

Maui Mayor Michael Victorino thanked the traveling public for exercising patience as the County of Maui works to improve and streamline its implementation of the newly reinstated interisland quarantine.

Public schools on Kaua‘i, Hawaiʻi Island, and Maui County – with the exception of Moloka‘i schools and Hāna High & Elementary – will transition to full distance learning for the first four weeks of the 2020-21 school year.

The state has reported another triple digit increase in new COVID-19 cases with 118 new cases today including 112 on Oʻahu, three on Maui and one on Hawaiʻi Island.  Twelve of the past 14 days have been in the triple-digits for new cases in the state.   More than 96% of the active cases statewide are on the island of Oʻahu.

The new Kōkua Maui County Small Business Recovery and Relief Fund has already received 443 applications to date after launching last week online. Small businesses can apply for grants of as much as $7,500 to assist them with the impacts of COVID-19.

A new 18,500 square foot HouseMart ACE Hardware store celebrates its grand opening next weekend, on Saturday, Aug. 22 at Lahaina Gateway in West Maui.

The iconic store, known for its strawberry and pineapple flavored sherbet, initially closed on March 14 for two weeks as pandemic related closures went into effect.

Doctors On Call, Maui’s Urgent Care, will be offering Rapid drive-up COVID-19 testing at The Shops at Wailea on Saturday, Aug. 15, 2020, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Patients are asked to remain in their cars while a nurse conducts the test.

“I am going to put a letter together to the governor that we take the same action as they did for Oʻahu with distance learning for whenever and wherever possible for the first four weeks; and then look at reopening once we get our numbers under control or get some kind of procedures in place,” said Mayor Victorino.

“Do not be surprised in the next couple of days we jump astronomically.  I’m looking at 15 to 18 new cases that they call ‘are in the queue’ and have not been confirmed, but are probably positive,” said Mayor Victorino.

The Mandatory Travel Declaration Form for Maui County and other transportation-related information is now available online.

While Honolulu Hale remained open for Saturday’s Primary Election, it is closing for business this afternoon as city officials conduct COVID-19 testing on an estimated 1,000 employees amid news of a cluster of cases identified at the property.  Mayor Caldwell headed home to self-quarantine after the press briefing this morning, as he awaits his own results.